BGS Hockey Team Memories- 1952 starters
In the winter sports season of 1958/59 some of us in the second year sixth who disliked playing
rugby were given the opportunity to play shinti by Peter(?) Harrington who had fairly recently
joined the English teaching staff. He also took charge of the tennis teams in the summer.
Several of us became good at shinti in spite of the rounded shape of the contact surface with
the ball, like playing with a crude walking stick. I went into the third year sixth but the
other shinti players had left. As I recall, during the early period of the first term of
1959/60, it occurred to me that hockey would be a good game to try especially since better
power and control could be exerted than in shinti because of the heavier stick with the flat
contact area. I took soundings and several boys in the first and second year sixth got hold of
hockey sticks and we hired a pitch on Saturdays at Stanley Park to hone our skills and derived
much enjoyment. I think it was a little later that term that Peter Harrington became involved
and an official school hockey team was formed.
I remember that we played the Collegiate and Arnold Boys. We were hammered by Blackpool Hockey
Club. I played centre forward and was pathetic in that game, probably too much in awe of a
team of experienced men. BGS first fifteen had those who thought we were wimps for playing a
"girls'" game (ever had a crack on the shins with a hockey ball?). They challenged us to a
hockey game. I remember that the pitch was muddy, the game was hard fought and there was no
score. I think that we dominated the game but the ball kept getting stuck in the mud.
We certainly gained the rugby players' respect.
I recall few names but remember more of the faces of that first team, Caldwell in goal,
Norman Kershaw (on the 1962 prefects photo ) Perhaps others can help here especially since
I'm sure that those from the first year
sixth would still have been playing the year after I left.
Please advise if any of my recollections are wrong. I would be pleased if anyone can contribute
anything of interest from times at BGS. Were there any significant events for the hockey teams
in future years as well as team member names and photos?
Do the boys still play hockey?
Regards
George Pickup
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